Past

LANDFIRE’s Biophysical Settings (BpSs)


BpS models represent the vegetation system that may have been dominant on the landscape prior to Euro-American settlement. These models are based on a combination of the current environment and an approximation of the historical disturbance regime. Read more.

Check out this 3-minute tutorial for a quick refresher on the basics of Biophysical Settings Models.

Use this page as a starting point to explore the most prevalent BpSs for your analysis area. In addition to the charts and maps, the historical disturbance data can be directly accessed using this site.

Most prevalent Biophysical Settings




Associated Biophysical Settings descriptions

Below you will find a list of Biophysical Settings (BpS) that is linked to their descriptions. Note:

  • There may be multiple BpS names listed. If so, this is because your landscape spans multiple LANDFIRE Map Zones and has multiple ‘variants’ for those BPSs.
  • The names below are followed by a number in parentheses. The first 5-digit number is the BPS Code. The following numbers reprent the Map Zones. For example, “13020_65_66” is ‘Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods forest’ BpS (13020) in Map Zones 65 and 66.
  • The map below will help orient you to the Map Zones for your landscape.



Clicking link will initiate a download of a Microsoft Word file. If you have any issues with this please contact LANDFIRE.

Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland (10790_6_9_10_12_16_17_18)
Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Upland (10804_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25)
Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub (10810_6_12_13_17)
Great Basin Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (10190_6_7_9_12_16_17_18_19)
Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Semi-Desert (10803_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25)
Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub (10820_4_13)
Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub (10820_12_15_16_17_23_24)
Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat (11530_6_10_12_13_17_18_19_21)
Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe (11260_6_12_17_18_28)
Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub (10870_4_6_12_13_14_15_17_24_25)
Inter-Mountain Basins Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland (10620_6_12_17_18)
Great Basin Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (10190_13_14)
Inter-Mountain Basins Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland (10620_13)
Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland (10790_13)
Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe (11260_13)


Historical Fire Regimes





Historical disturbances per ecosystem

Note: chart will show disturbances of all ecosystems until a single one is selected in the dropdown box.

Data table

Note: the table is large-there are scroll bars on the side, and at the bottom for viewing.

ZONE BPS_MODEL BPS_NAME GROUPVEG FRI_REPLAC FRI_MIXED FRI_SURFAC FRG_NEW ACRES REL_PERCENT
17 10790_6_9_10_12_16_17_18 Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland Shrubland 94 831 -9,999 IV-A 1,997,019 15.5
12 10790_6_9_10_12_16_17_18 Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland Shrubland 94 831 -9,999 IV-A 1,970,745 15.3
17 10804_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Upland Shrubland 120 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 756,539 5.9
12 10810_6_12_13_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Shrubland 1,978 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 693,207 5.4
17 10190_6_7_9_12_16_17_18_19 Great Basin Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Conifer 865 898 -9,999 V-A 670,313 5.2
12 10804_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Upland Shrubland 120 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 638,587 5.0
12 10190_6_7_9_12_16_17_18_19 Great Basin Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Conifer 865 898 -9,999 V-A 578,127 4.5
12 10803_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Semi-Desert Shrubland 151 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 574,199 4.5
13 10820_4_13 Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub Shrubland 399 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 476,847 3.7
12 10820_12_15_16_17_23_24 Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub Shrubland 815 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 338,489 2.6
17 10810_6_12_13_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Shrubland 1,978 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 316,519 2.5
12 11530_6_10_12_13_17_18_19_21 Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat Shrubland 1,024 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 309,354 2.4
17 11530_6_10_12_13_17_18_19_21 Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat Shrubland 1,024 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 312,201 2.4
12 11260_6_12_17_18_28 Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 49 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 302,087 2.3
13 10870_4_6_12_13_14_15_17_24_25 Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub Shrubland 329 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 264,572 2.1
17 10820_12_15_16_17_23_24 Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub Shrubland 815 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 262,451 2.0
17 10620_6_12_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland Shrubland 288 149 238 III-A 244,500 1.9
17 11260_6_12_17_18_28 Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 49 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 221,665 1.7
12 10010 Inter-Mountain Basins Sparsely Vegetated Systems Sparse -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 164,263 1.3
17 11540_6_12_16_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 378 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 148,902 1.2
0 0 Barren-Rock/Sand/Clay Barren-Rock/Sand/Clay -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 140,568 1.1
17 10803_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Semi-Desert Shrubland 151 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 144,394 1.1
12 11270_10_12_13_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe Shrubland 225 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 132,553 1.0
13 10010 Inter-Mountain Basins Sparsely Vegetated Systems Sparse -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 111,885 0.9
12 11030_6_7_12_13_16_17_23 Great Basin Semi-Desert Chaparral Shrubland 50 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 112,943 0.9
12 10620_6_12_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland Shrubland 288 149 238 III-A 106,026 0.8
17 11030_6_7_12_13_16_17_23 Great Basin Semi-Desert Chaparral Shrubland 50 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 108,709 0.8
17 10610_8_9_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Aspen-Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland Hardwood-Conifer 68 44 -9,999 I-C 80,225 0.6
13 11552_13_14_15 North American Warm Desert Riparian Systems-Stringers Riparian 735 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 58,881 0.5
12 10870_4_6_12_13_14_15_17_24_25 Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub Shrubland 329 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 70,308 0.5
12 11540_6_12_16_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 378 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 70,158 0.5
17 10520_17 Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland Conifer 184 91 72 I-C 65,951 0.5
13 10040 North American Warm Desert Sparsely Vegetated Systems Sparse -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 34,908 0.3
12 10520_12 Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland Conifer 186 91 72 I-C 33,250 0.3
17 11040_17 Mogollon Chaparral Shrubland 50 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 37,625 0.3
17 11080_17 Sonora-Mojave Semi-Desert Chaparral Shrubland 50 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 40,562 0.3
17 11270_10_12_13_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe Shrubland 225 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 38,983 0.3
17 10550_17 Rocky Mountain Subalpine Dry-Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland Conifer 176 16,701 -9,999 IV-B 21,842 0.2
17 11240_10_12_17_18_19_21 Columbia Plateau Low Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 201 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 26,874 0.2
13 10190_13_14 Great Basin Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Conifer 474 337 780 III-B 16,602 0.1
13 11270_10_12_13_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe Shrubland 225 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 7,930 0.1
13 11550_13_14 North American Warm Desert Riparian Systems Riparian 785 23 -9,999 I-C 16,526 0.1
12 10110_6_10_12_17_18_19 Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland Hardwood 68 57 -9,999 I-C 15,035 0.1
12 10200_6_9_12_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Subalpine Limber-Bristlecone Pine Woodland Conifer 497 -9,999 200 III-B 19,071 0.1
12 11350_7_8_9_10_12_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland Grassland 81 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 16,628 0.1
17 10010 Inter-Mountain Basins Sparsely Vegetated Systems Sparse -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 9,834 0.1
17 10110_6_10_12_17_18_19 Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland Hardwood 68 57 -9,999 I-C 14,915 0.1
17 10200_6_9_12_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Subalpine Limber-Bristlecone Pine Woodland Conifer 497 -9,999 200 III-B 17,210 0.1
17 10860_13_16_17_18_21_23 Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland Shrubland 102 28 -9,999 I-C 18,839 0.1
17 10870_4_6_12_13_14_15_17_24_25 Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub Shrubland 329 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 14,314 0.1
17 11070_17 Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland Shrubland 153 52 -9,999 III-A 6,626 0.1
0 0 Open Water Open Water -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 5,417 0.0
0 0 Perennial Ice/Snow Perennial Ice/Snow -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 370 0.0
13 10160_13_14 Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Conifer 483 340 768 III-B 75 0.0
13 10520_13 Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland Conifer 214 191 64 III-A 1 0.0
13 10540_13_14 Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland Conifer 254 39 28 I-B 4 0.0
13 10620_13 Inter-Mountain Basins Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland Shrubland 287 149 232 III-A 266 0.0
13 10790_13 Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland Shrubland 99 727 -9,999 IV-A 70 0.0
13 10800_13_14 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland Shrubland 111 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 516 0.0
13 10810_6_12_13_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Shrubland 1,978 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 79 0.0
13 10930_13_15_16_23_24_28 Southern Colorado Plateau Sand Shrubland Shrubland 220 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 1 0.0
13 11030_6_7_12_13_16_17_23 Great Basin Semi-Desert Chaparral Shrubland 50 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 1,606 0.0
13 11070_13 Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland Shrubland 152 52 -9,999 III-A 10 0.0
13 11090_4_13 Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub Shrubland 1,284 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 167 0.0
13 11260_13 Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 49 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 34 0.0
13 11350_13_14 Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland Grassland 119 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 209 0.0
13 11530_6_10_12_13_17_18_19_21 Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat Shrubland 1,024 -9,999 -9,999 V-B 1,461 0.0
13 11540_13 Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 68 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 3,963 0.0
12 10040 North American Warm Desert Sparsely Vegetated Systems Sparse -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 42 0.0
12 10060 Rocky Mountain Alpine/Montane Sparsely Vegetated Systems Sparse -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 201 0.0
12 10310_2_3_4_5_6_12 California Montane Jeffrey Pine(-Ponderosa Pine) Woodland Conifer 165 84 11 I-B 2 0.0
12 10330_12 Mediterranean California Subalpine Woodland Conifer 349 78 -9,999 III-A 257 0.0
12 10570_12_16 Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Limber-Bristlecone Pine Woodland Conifer 508 -9,999 199 III-B 29 0.0
12 10880_12_13_14_25 Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Shrubland -9,999 -9,999 -9,999 -9999 15 0.0
12 11240_10_12_17_18_19_21 Columbia Plateau Low Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 201 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 120 0.0
12 11250_6_12_13_15_16_17_18_23_24_25_28 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 117 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 4,857 0.0
12 11590_12_17 Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 379 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 9 0.0
12 11600_12_17 Rocky Mountain Subalpine/Upper Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 271 -9,999 79 III-A 8 0.0
17 10120_17_18_21 Rocky Mountain Bigtooth Maple Ravine Woodland Hardwood 135 81 -9,999 III-A 829 0.0
17 10160_17 Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland Conifer 427 194 2,177 III-B 222 0.0
17 10510_15_16_17_22_23_24_25 Southern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland Conifer 90 77 14 I-B 23 0.0
17 10540_17 Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland Conifer 257 39 28 I-B 6,113 0.0
17 10640_15_16_17_23_24_27_28 Colorado Plateau Mixed Low Sagebrush Shrubland Shrubland 239 119 -9,999 III-A 75 0.0
17 11150_17 Inter-Mountain Basins Juniper Savanna Conifer 815 428 553 III-B 1 0.0
17 11250_6_12_13_15_16_17_18_23_24_25_28 Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe Shrubland 117 -9,999 -9,999 IV-B 12 0.0
17 11350_7_8_9_10_12_17_18 Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland Grassland 81 -9,999 -9,999 IV-A 1,177 0.0
17 11590_12_17 Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 379 -9,999 -9,999 V-A 195 0.0
17 11600_12_17 Rocky Mountain Subalpine/Upper Montane Riparian Systems Riparian 271 -9,999 79 III-A 466 0.0